Mark McGwire vs Rafael Palmeiro: Career Stats Comparison
Rafael Palmeiro has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Mark McGwire played 1986–2001 as a hitter; Rafael Palmeiro played 1986–2005 as a hitter.
- AVG (Batting Average):
- Hits divided by at bats. .300 is the traditional mark of an excellent hitter.
- HR (Home Runs):
- Hits on which the batter circled the bases and scored, almost always by clearing the outfield fence.
- RBI (Runs Batted In):
- Runs that scored as a direct result of a batter's plate appearance.
- OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging):
- On-base percentage plus slugging percentage, the quickest single summary of offensive value. .900 or better is star-level.
Data updated
Mark McGwire (1986–2001) and Rafael Palmeiro (1986–2005) — both debuted in the 1980s. Mark McGwire finished with 1,626 hits and 583 home runs; Rafael Palmeiro finished with 3,020 hits and 569 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Rafael Palmeiro, in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Mark McGwire, with 583 to Rafael Palmeiro's 569.
- Who had the higher OPS? Mark McGwire, with .982 to Rafael Palmeiro's .885.
- Who had the higher batting average? Rafael Palmeiro, with .288 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits? Rafael Palmeiro, with 3,020 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.
- Who drove in more runs? Rafael Palmeiro, with 1,835 to Mark McGwire's 1,414.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Mark McGwire, with 44,531 career PIV to Rafael Palmeiro's 42,814.
Mark McGwire
Rafael Palmeiro
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Mark McGwire and Rafael Palmeiro. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 12 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other 3 are shown but not scored. Games and at-bats measure playing time, strikeouts accumulate with a longer career, and a line where both players are at zero was won by neither, so those are left unmarked. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Mark McGwire | Rafael Palmeiro |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 1,874 | 2,831 |
| At-Bats not scored | 6,187 | 10,472 |
| Runs | 1,167 | Leads: 1,663 |
| Hits | 1,626 | Leads: 3,020 |
| Doubles | 252 | Leads: 585 |
| Triples | 6 | Leads: 38 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 583 | 569 |
| RBI | 1,414 | Leads: 1,835 |
| Walks | 1,317 | Leads: 1,353 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 1,596 | 1,348 |
| Stolen Bases | 12 | Leads: 97 |
| Batting Avg | .263 | Leads: .288 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .394 | .371 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .588 | .515 |
| OPS | Leads: .982 | .885 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Mark McGwire edges Rafael Palmeiro 44,531 to 42,814 — driven by per-season impact — 2,783 PIV per season to 2,141 — rather than by longevity, since Mark McGwire played 16 seasons to Rafael Palmeiro's 20. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by OPS among qualified workloads (300+ at-bats).
Mark McGwire — top 3 seasons by OPS
Rafael Palmeiro — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Rafael Palmeiro leads 8 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, hits, doubles, triples, and others. Mark McGwire leads 4: home runs, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and OPS. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rafael Palmeiro. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Mark McGwire higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Mark McGwire and Rafael Palmeiro careers compare
Mark McGwire and Rafael Palmeiro were active at the same time between 1986 and 2001. Rafael Palmeiro has the far longer record, 2,831 games against 1,874 across 16 and 20 PIV seasons, which inflates every career total. Mark McGwire's edges on the table are home runs (583 to 569), on-base percentage (.394 to .371), and slugging percentage (.588 to .515). At the plate, Mark McGwire struck out more than walked (1,596 to 1,317), while Rafael Palmeiro walked more often than struck out (1,353 walks, 1,348 strikeouts). Home runs make up a larger share of Mark McGwire's hits: 583 of 1,626 for Mark McGwire, 569 of 3,020 for Rafael Palmeiro.
Mark McGwire vs Rafael Palmeiro: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Mark McGwire or Rafael Palmeiro?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rafael Palmeiro leads Mark McGwire in 8 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did Mark McGwire or Rafael Palmeiro hit more home runs?
- Mark McGwire, with 583 to Rafael Palmeiro's 569.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Mark McGwire, with .982 to Rafael Palmeiro's .885.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with .288 to Mark McGwire's .263.
- Who had more hits?
- Rafael Palmeiro, with 3,020 to Mark McGwire's 1,626.